What Are The Health Benefits Of Olive Oil?

Properties of olive oil and its health benefits can be found in this article.

In order to have a healthier lifestyle "olive oil" is a must. It does not only add great flavor to salads, pastas, sauces and vegetables but has health advantages over other oils.

Olive oil is the main ingredient of the Mediterranean Diet which is one of the healthiest diets according to statistics. Death rates from heart disease in Mediterranean countries are lower than in the United States. Olive oil is monounsatured so it has no satured fat. Monounsatured fat decreases Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol - also called the bad cholesterol and decreases the risk of heart disease. On the other hand, satured fats raise blood cholesterol and cause a major risk for coronary heart disease.

Monounsatured fats are also available in canola oil, corn oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, sesame oil and soybean oil. Still, of all the vegetable oils, olive oil is the most hearty and the natural one. Olive oil is a good source of Vitamin E which is a natural antioxidant. Antioxidants have beneficial effects such as lowering cholesterol, blood pressure and risk of coronary disease. It also has Vitamin K which plays an important role in blood clotting.

Because of its low acidity level, olive oil is easier to digest compared to other fats.

Olive oil is used in the making of beauty products, you can use olive oil to smooth dry skin.

The difference between the olive oils is their acidity level. This affects only the taste of the olive oil that you purchase, it has no impact on the nutritional content.

You cannot cut fat totally, some types of fat are essential for your health. Fat is a carrier for the fat soluble vitamins and also an important source for energy. The key is replacing the fat to olive oil without increasing the amount. For a healthier and a longer life you have to use fats and oils sparingly.